Ap Government Chapter 16 Terms- The Courts

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Amicus Curiae Briefs

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An amicus curiae (also amicus curiæ ... The Supreme Court of the United States has special rules for amicus curiae briefs, covered generally by Supreme Court Rule 37.

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Appellate juristiction

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Appellate jurisdiction is the power of the United States Supreme Court to review decisions and change outcomes of decisions of lower courts

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Class Action suits

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In law, a class action, a class suit, or a representative action is a form of lawsuit in which a large group of people collectively bring a claim to court

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Courts of appeal

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A brief overview of the structure and function of the court of appeals for the federal circuit.

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District courts

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The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system.

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Judicial activism

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Judicial activism describes judicial rulings suspected of being based on personal or political considerations rather than on existing law

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Judicial implementation

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Judicial implementation is the application of the court orders that are obligatory and those who do not follow can be held in contempt of court.

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Judicial restraint

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Judicial restraint is a theory of judicial interpretation that encourages judges to limit the exercise of their own power.

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Judicial review

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Judicial review is the doctrine under which legislative and executive actions are subject to review (and possible invalidation) by the judiciary.

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Justiciable disputes

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In order for an issue to be justiciable by a United States federal court, ... even though there may be no actual dispute between parties to resolve.

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Marbury v. Madison

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Marbury v. Madison, case decided in 1803 by the U.S. Supreme Court. William Marbury had been commissioned justice of the peace in the District of Columbia by President John Adams in the "midnight appointments" at the very end of his administration. When the new administration did not deliver the commission, Marbury sued James Madison, Jefferson's Secretary of State.

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Opinion

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a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.

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Original intent

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The theory of interpretation by which judges attempt to ascertain the meaning of a particular provision of a state or federal constitution by determinin

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Orginal juristication

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The original jurisdiction of a court is the power to hear a case for the first time, as opposed to appellate jurisdiction, when a court has the power to review

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Political questions

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Politics and Government Questions including "What form of government does the US have" and "What was the Watergate scandal"

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Precedent

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noun 1. Law. a legal decision or form of proceeding serving as an authoritative rule or pattern in future similar or analogous cases.

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Senatorial courtesy

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noun the practice in the U.S. Senate of confirming only those presidential appointees approved by both senators from the state of the appointee

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Solicitor general

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The United States Solicitor General is the person appointed to represent the federal government of the United States before the Supreme Court of the United States.

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Standing to sue

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Standing To Sue Is one of the doctrines of justiciability derived from the case or controversy requirement of Article III

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Stare decisis

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[Latin, Let the decision stand.] The policy of courts to abide by or adhere to principles established by decisions in earlier cases.

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Statutory construction

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Canons of statutory construction give judges the ability to decide questions of statutory interpretation that necessarily rely on an element of judicial discretion.

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Supreme Court

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The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate (and largely discretionary) appellate jurisdiction over all federal

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United States v. Nixon

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The early 1970s was a time of growing distrust in the National Government. The Pentagon Papers exposed the intentional deception of the American people about Vietnam.